Donnie Darko (2001)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Richard Kelly

Writer:

Richard Kelly (written by)

Release Date:

30 January 2002 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Life is one long insane trip. Some people just have better directions.

Plot:

A troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him to commit a series of crimes, after narrowly escaping a bizarre accident.

Plot Keywords:

Rabbit | Vision | Teacher | School | Bunny Rabbit

Awards:

11 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Donnie Darko
Holmes Osborne	...	Eddie Darko
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Elizabeth Darko
Daveigh Chase	...	Samantha Darko
Mary McDonnell	...	Rose Darko
James Duval	...	Frank
Arthur Taxier	...	Dr. Fisher
Patrick Swayze	...	Jim Cunningham
Mark Hoffman	...	Police Officer
David St. James	...	Bob Garland
Tom Tangen	...	Man in Red Jogging Suit
Jazzie Mahannah	...	Joanie James
Jolene Purdy	...	Cherita Chen
Stuart Stone	...	Ronald Fisher
Gary Lundy	...	Sean Smith
Alex Greenwald	...	Seth Devlin
Beth Grant	...	Kitty Farmer
Jena Malone	...	Gretchen Ross
Seth Rogen	...	Ricky Danforth
David Moreland	...	Principal Cole
Noah Wyle	...	Prof. Kenneth Monnitoff
Drew Barrymore	...	Karen Pomeroy
Kristina Malota	...	Susie Bates
Marina Malota	...	Emily Bates
Carly Naples	...	Suzy Bailey
Tiler Peck	...	Beth Farmer
Patience Cleveland	...	Roberta Sparrow / Grandma Death
Katharine Ross	...	Dr. Lilian Thurman
Lisa K. Wyatt	...	Linda Connie
Rachel Winfree	...	Shanda Riesman
Jack Salvatore Jr.	...	Larry Riesman
Lee Weaver	...	Leroy
Phyllis Lyons	...	Anne Fisher
Ashley Tisdale	...	Kim, Dorky Girl
Alison Jones	...	Dorky Half-Sister
Jerry Trainor	...	Lanky Kid
Joan M. Blair	...	Mystery Woman (as Joan Blair)
Sarah Hudson	...	Friend
Fran Kranz	...	Passenger
Scotty Leavenworth	...	David
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Conrad Angel Corral	...	Vice Principal (uncredited)
Phil Hawn	...	Teacher (uncredited)
Nancy Juvonen	...	Flight Attendant (uncredited)
Margaret Kontra Palmer	...	Concerned Mother (uncredited)
Dee Austin Robertson	...	Movie Ticket Salesman (uncredited)
Jack Truman	...	Teacher (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Kelly

Writing credits
Richard Kelly		(written by)

Produced by
Christopher Ball	....	executive producer (as Chris J. Ball)
Drew Barrymore	....	executive producer
Adam Fields	....	producer
Thomas Hayslip	....	line producer (as Tom Hayslip)
Nancy Juvonen	....	producer
Casey La Scala	....	executive producer
Hunt Lowry	....	executive producer
Sean McKittrick	....	producer
Aaron Ryder	....	executive producer
William Tyrer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Andrews

Cinematography by
Steven Poster		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Sam Bauer
Eric Strand

Casting by
Joseph Middleton
Michelle Morris		(as Michelle Morris Gertz)

Production Design by
Alec Hammond		(as Alexander Hammond)

Set Decoration by
Jennie Harris

Costume Design by
April Ferry

Makeup Department
Merribelle Anderson	....	hair stylist
Merribelle Anderson	....	second hair stylist
Lynn Barber	....	makeup department head
Dorinda Carey	....	assistant makeup artist
Leslie Devlin	....	assistant makeup artist
Kathleen Freeman	....	assistant makeup artist (as Kathleen Freeman-Smith)
Kimberly Greene	....	makeup artist: Drew Barrymore
Isabel Harkins	....	assistant makeup department head
Cammy R. Langer	....	hair stylist (as Cammy Langer)
Lori McCoy-Bell	....	hair department head
Barbara Olvera	....	hair stylist: Drew Barrymore
Thomas E. Surprenant	....	special makeup effects artist (as Thomas Surprenant)
Dale Brady	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Betsy Mackey	....	unit production manager
Cynthia Nicolella	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)
Kim Percival	....	production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard L. Fox	....	first assistant director
Heather Grierson	....	second assistant director
Casey Mako	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Denise Anderson	....	assistant property master
Mark Anderson	....	property master
Bryan Belair	....	construction coordinator (as Brian Belair)
Michelle R. Belair	....	propmaker (as Michelle Belair)
Andrew Berentis	....	propmaker
Jonathan Bernardi	....	propmaker
Richard Bloom	....	art department coordinator
Christopher Cuneo	....	propmaker
Gregory Diggins	....	propmaker (as Greg Diggins)
Dino Doane	....	propmaker
Tim Durrell	....	propmaker
Patrick Foyle	....	propmaker
Andrew Garcia-Price	....	storyboard artist
Thomas Gibson	....	painter
Gregg Hager	....	propmaker
Ted Harms	....	propmaker foreman
Ted Harms	....	propmaker (as Ted Harms Jr.)
Russel Harvey	....	painter (as Russell Harvey)
Jeff Higinbotham	....	set dresser
Tim Jackson	....	construction foreman (as Timothy Jackson)
Jay Kelly	....	graphic artist
Roger Knight	....	swing gang
Terry Lasko	....	propmaker
Christian E. Lemer	....	propmaker (as Christian Lemer)
Julia K. Levine	....	set designer (as Julia Levine)
Jamie Maheu	....	set dresser (as Jamie Mehue)
Mark Mastropietro	....	propmaker
Augustine Mendez Jr.	....	labor foreman
Michael Mikita	....	paint foreman
Missy Parker	....	buyer
Alejandro Poli	....	propmaker (as Poli Alejandro)
Mike Reiber	....	painter
Christopher Schultz	....	on-set dresser
Ed Sher	....	painter
Bart Sullivan	....	swing gang
Edward Tamayo	....	set dresser (as Ed Tamayo)
J.R. Vasquez	....	lead man
Scott Vollmer	....	propmaker

Sound Department
Matthew C. Beville	....	adr mixer (as Matt Beville)
Chad Blinman	....	adr recordist
Jeff K. Brunello	....	background sound editor
Jeff K. Brunello	....	sound effects editor
Patrick Cusack	....	assistant sound editor: director's cut
Andrea Danek	....	assistant sound editor: director's cut re-release
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer: director's cut
Fred Drury	....	additional boom operator (as Fredrick Drury)
David Esparza	....	sound designer: director's cut
David Esparza	....	supervising sound editor: director's cut
Bob Fisher	....	boom operator
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Coleman Metts	....	production sound mixer
Chuck Michael	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nancy Nugent	....	foley editor: director's cut (as Nancy Kyong Nugent)
Michael Payne	....	additional sound design: director's cut
Michael Payne	....	sound designer
Scott Reed	....	sound general manager
Terry Rodman	....	sound re-recording mixer: director's cut
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	adr editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	dialogue editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	dialogue editor: director's cut
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	supervising sound editor
Dan Scolnik	....	foley editor
Nancy Tracy	....	adr editor
Nancy Tracy	....	dialogue editor
Eric Justen	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Andy Peach	....	sound re-recording mixer: M&E (uncredited)
Aaron Rihel	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lorraine Fadden	....	special effects crew
Scott Garcia	....	special effects crew
Robbie Knott	....	special effects coordinator
Daniel Yates	....	special effects crew (as Dale Yates)

Visual Effects by
David Alexander	....	compositor: Amalgamated Pixels
R. Christopher Biggs	....	senior compositor: Amalgamated Pixels
Culley Bunker	....	compositor: Amalgamated Pixels (as Culley M. Bunker)
D. Walt Cameron	....	compositor: Amalgamated Pixels
Kelly Carlton	....	additional visual effects
Kelly Carlton	....	visual effects supervisor (director's cut)
Dennis Fitzsimmons	....	compositor: Amalgamated Pixels
Derry Frost	....	head of production: Amalgamated Pixels
Marcus Keys	....	visual effects supervisor
Ken Locsmandi	....	senior animator: Amalgamated Pixels
Joe Mangione	....	senior animator: Amalgamated Pixels
Michael Morreale	....	digital supervisor: Amalgamated Pixels (as Michael J. Morreale)
Jeremy Oddo	....	senior animator: Amalgamated Pixels
Phillip Palousek	....	digital coordinator: Amalgamated Pixels
Chad Royer	....	senior compositor: Amalgamated Pixels
Paul Scott	....	digital producer: Amalgamated Pixels
Gregory S. Scribner	....	compositor: Amalgamated Pixels
Teod Tomlinson	....	senior animator: Amalgamated Pixels
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging: THDX (uncredited)

Stunts
Robin Lynn Bonaccorsi	....	stunts (as Robin Bonaccorsi)
Dan Bradley	....	stunts
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunt coordinator
Sean Graham	....	stunts
Hugh Aodh O'Brien	....	stunts
Jeanna Phillips	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Waide R. Allen	....	electrician (as Waide Allen)
Phil Aubrey	....	grip
Klint Betz	....	best boy rigger
Chris Byers	....	grip
Pierre Cane	....	electrician
Keith Chadwick	....	grip
David Chameides	....	Steadicam operator (as Dave Chameides)
David Chameides	....	camera operator (as David Chameides)
Jim Chase	....	grip
Kevin Cook	....	grip
Briewen Corry	....	grip (as Bri Cory)
Richard Crudo	....	camera operator
Mike Curtis	....	electrician
Richard Epps	....	grip
Jim Favazzo	....	crane operator: Technocrane (as James Favazzo)
Steve Franklin	....	grip
Steve Gainer	....	camera operator
Coby Garfield	....	second assistant camera
Dale Gladish	....	grip
Bernie Horn-Bostel	....	best boy grip
Joel Jaspan	....	grip
John Keefer	....	grip
Andy Kessler	....	camera loader
Lorna Leslie	....	camera loader
Dan Lynch	....	grip
Michael Stewart Maahs	....	grip (as Michael Maahs)
Brian McPherson	....	crane operator: Technocrane
David L. Merrill	....	key grip (as Dave Merrill)
Ronald A. Miller	....	key rigging grip
Dick Montagne	....	camera operator
Mark Morton	....	best boy electric
Derek Page	....	electrician
Travis Panarisi	....	electrician
Norman Parker	....	first assistant camera
Larry Pausback	....	grip
Lex Rawlins	....	first assistant camera
Dee Austin Robertson	....	camera intern
Dale Robinette	....	still photographer
Brian Rosso	....	grip
Michael Scott	....	camera operator
Bing Sokolsky	....	camera operator (as Bing Socolsky)
Larissa Supplitt	....	second assistant camera
Victor Svimonoff	....	best boy electric
Fritz Weber	....	grip
Spencer Wilcox	....	grip
Dustin Woods	....	grip
Ignacio Woolfolk	....	grip
William D. Wynn	....	dolly grip (as William Wynn)
Jeff Zucker	....	gaffer
Steve Gainer	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Dena Berman	....	casting assistant
Debe Waisman	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Donna Berwick	....	assistant costume designer
Naillon Joan Cass	....	costumer (as Joan Naillon Cass)
David Ferry	....	costumer
Nisa Kellner	....	costumer
Joseph Markham	....	costume supervisor (as Joe Markham)

Editorial Department
Ngozi Akbar	....	assistant editor
Allen Barnwell	....	post-production assistant
Mark Eggenweiler	....	assistant editor
Kevin Greutert	....	first assistant editor (director's cut)
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Robert W. Sterrett III	....	post-production assistant
Greg Thompson	....	assistant editor
Lisa Valenzuela	....	post-production assistant
Chris Regan	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Jennifer Barak	....	music editor
Ged Bauer	....	music consultant (director's cut)
Todd Burke	....	score mixer
Todd Burke	....	score recordist
Shannon Erbe	....	music editor
Steve Genewick	....	assistant music engineer
Manish Raval	....	music supervisor
Tom Wolfe	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Lyle Atkins	....	driver: water truck
Michael Ballew	....	driver (as Mike Ballew)
Curtis Clark	....	driver
Lynda Dedmon	....	driver: bus
Jennifer Duclos	....	driver
Audrey Fitzgerald	....	driver
Dennis Germain	....	driver
Frank Graves	....	driver
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator
Kirk Huston	....	transportation captain
Jackson Iblings	....	driver: bus
Roger Ickes	....	driver
Alfie Jensen	....	driver
Billy Kane	....	driver (as Bill Kane)
Knut Kielpinski	....	driver
Rocco Mann	....	driver: van
Harry Marks	....	picture car captain
Steve Maytum	....	driver: bus
Anthony J. Mignano	....	driver (as Anthony Mignano)
Joe Moreno	....	driver
Lee Nashold	....	driver: camera car (as Byron Lee Nashold Jr.)
Bill Needham	....	driver
Kenny Nunn	....	driver
Dennis O'Connell	....	driver: honeywagon
John Pellegrino	....	transportation co-captain
Bud Ruben	....	driver
Michael Ryan	....	driver
Andrew Saris	....	driver: water truck
John Scott	....	driver: water truck
Carlo Solano	....	driver
Chris Waldoch	....	driver (as Chris Waldock)
Hardy Ophuls	....	picture car coordinator (uncredited)
Adam Pinkstaff	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
John Steven Agoglia	....	location manager (as John Agoglia)
Rebecca Asher	....	script supervisor (as Rebecca E. Asher)
Eyal Axelrod	....	assistant: Mr. Lowry
Josephine Batorski	....	studio teacher
Chris Baugh	....	set production assistant
Sean Bayat	....	set production assistant
Jenni Calcare	....	set production assistant
Kelly Carlton	....	title designer: main titles
Antoine Doxey	....	office production assistant
Darrel Drinkard	....	technical support: Avid
Cate Engel	....	assistant: Ms. Juvonen
Marjorie Ergas	....	clearance (as Marj Ergas)
Jane Evelyn	....	production secretary
John Fox	....	assistant: Mr. La Scala
Jeff Fuller	....	set production assistant (as Jeff 'Bones' Fuller)
Becky Gelbart	....	set production assistant
Danielle Gordon	....	office production assistant
William Gulliver	....	assistant: Mr. Fields
Wes Hall	....	stand-in
Jennifer L. Hamilton	....	assistant choreographer (as Jennifer Hamilton)
Michael Hansen	....	unit publicist
Mike Hoy	....	assistant to director and producer
Jason Inman	....	medic
Roy G. Irwin	....	medic (as Roy Irwin)
Jeffrey Jenofsky	....	production assistant
Keith Jones	....	key set production assistant
Anne Marie Jowell	....	medic
Matthew Katz-Frost	....	set production assistant (as Matthew Katz)
John Kelleher	....	assistant: Mr. Lowry
Mark Kelly	....	set production assistant
Kyle Klein	....	assistant: Ms. Juvonen
Steve Larson	....	dispatcher
Asha MacLeod	....	set production assistant (as Asha Macleod)
Hugo Maldonado	....	assistant chef
Linda McDonough	....	clearance
Eddie Michaels	....	unit publicist
Crystal Montiel	....	craft service
Crystal Montiel	....	set production assistant
Jordan Otis	....	set production assistant
Evan Peller	....	assistant location manager
Kim Percival	....	production coordinator
Caoline Petterson	....	set production assistant
Jeanna Phillips	....	stand-in
Leslie Plumlee	....	assistant accountant
Marguerite Pomerhn Derricks	....	choreographer (as Marguerite Pomerhn-Derricks)
Heather Ray	....	set production assistant
Alicia Richards	....	medic
Cloy Richards	....	production accountant
Genaro Rodriguez	....	chef
Felipe Rodriquez	....	chef
Anthony Santiago	....	technical support: Avid
Margaret L. Schlaifer	....	studio teacher (as Margaret Schlaifer)
Jon Shingler	....	office production assistant
Rene Louise Smith	....	set production assistant
Samuel W. Sullivan	....	set production assistant (as Sam Sullivan)
Cindy Taylor-Arp	....	set production assistant (as Cindy Taylor)
Michael Thomsen	....	assistant: Mr. Fields
Rhonda Wheelan	....	craft service
Chris Baugh	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Chris Beal	....	assistant to production coordinator (uncredited)
Aileen Kiernan	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Chris Miller	....	personal assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Christina Applegate	....	special thanks
Danny Elfman	....	special thanks
M.C. Escher	....	special thanks
Naomi Foner	....	special thanks (as Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal)
Stephen Gyllenhaal	....	special thanks
Aimee Mann	....	special thanks
Moby	....	special thanks
Jonathan Mostow	....	special thanks
Eli Roth	....	special thanks
Tony Scott	....	special thanks
Kevin Smith	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Pandora Cinema (in association with) (as Pandora)
• Flower Films (II) (as A Flower Films Production)
• Adam Fields Productions
• Gaylord Films
• Newmarket Films (presents) (as Newmarket)

Distributors

• Pandora Cinema (2001) (worldwide) (all media)
• Newmarket Films (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2002) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Bir Film (2003) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Dan Films (2002) (Denmark) (theatrical) (Scandinavia)
• Manga Films (2002) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Metrodome Distribution (2002) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Pony Canyon (2002) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Quality Film Collection)
• Egmont Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (2004) (Czech Republic) (TV)
• Madman Entertainment (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2004) (Germany) (VHS)
• Moviemax (2004) (Italy) (all media)
• New Age Entertainment (2002) (Portugal) (all media)
• Nordisk Film (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• SubTV (2005) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Amalgamated Pixels
• Effects Group, The
• SSI Advanced (visual effects compositing) (director's cut) (as SSI Advanced Post Services)

Other Companies

• Amnesty International  special thanks
• Anchor Bay Entertainment  "Evil Dead" footage
• Capitol Studios  score mixing facilities
• Cast & Crew Catering  catering
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing (as Deluxe)
• Dedo Light  special thanks
• Digital Cut Post Inc.  avid film composers provided by
• EFX Systems  sound editing and mixing facilities
• Edward Steidel & Company  foley artists
• Elgonix Labs, Los Angeles  score recording (as Elgonix Labs)
• Everloving Records  score album
• Insignia Public Relations  unit publicity
• Laser Pacific Media  digital motion picture laboratory services (as Laserfilm Film Recording Services)
• Lowell Light  special thanks
• Micdi Productions  music editing
• Oberman, Tivoli, Miller and Pickert  post-production accounting
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Paskal Lighting  special thanks
• Post Logic  special thanks
• Renaissance Pictures  "Evil Dead" footage
• Richmond Times-Dispatch  special thanks
• Steve and Edie's Gourmet Looping  loop group (as Steve & Edie)
• Surpin, Mayersohn & Edelstone  production legal
• The Conformist  negative cutting
• Virginia Film Commission  special thanks
• Wilshire Stages, The  sound editing and mixing facilities
• Wilshire Stages, The  sound services (director's cut)

Also Known As:

Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut (USA) (director's cut)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some drug use and violence.; Rated R for language, some underage drug and alcohol use, and violence. (director's cut)

Runtime:

113 min | 133 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 (director's cut) | Iceland:16 | Spain:13 | Hungary:16 | Brazil:14 | New Zealand:M (director's cut) | Sweden:11 (TV rating) | Sweden:15 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Czech Republic:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Italy:T | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Pandora Cinema

Trivia:

Despite persistent rumors, Richard Kelly insists that none of the characters in this film are based upon USC teachers or students.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the first school sequence when we see shots of every character in the movie, a girl is carrying a Dickies brand book bag which weren't introduced by Dickies until the late-'90s.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Elizabeth: I'm voting for Dukakis.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Room No. 7 (2005)

Soundtrack:

Love Will Tear Us Apart

A thought provoking masterpiece

Donnie Darko is a type of movie that provides any viewer a type of material that promotes hard thinking and even harder re-thinking. After the film ends, it's almost impossible to keep yourself from thinking of all the possible way to interpret such a film. It's not quite surreal or full of quirky nonsense, it's more like a set of events, which seem to make sense on one level, no sense on another level, and finally perfect sense on another level. The movie acts as an illusion to what's really going on, its almost pleasantly distracting.

Our main character, Donnie Darko, is a boy suffering from sleep walking, and now what appears to be delusions. He manages to avoid a certain death with the aid of a man in a bunny suit. This twisted bunny also informs Donnie that the world will come to an end within the month. This sparked curiosity and dread in Donnie, who also has every other aspect of a teenager's life to worry about. The film proceeds with the feel of a teen flick, the style of a horror, and a plot suited for a fantasy.

The end of the movie is the part which will make you want to watch it again. You'll think you've discovered what's really going on after the first time, prove yourself wrong on the second time, and will sit and watch every possible detail the third time. Richard Kelly has created an instant cult classic, and perhaps something more than that. Extremely well written with believable characters speaking believable dialogue.

I'll be the first to admit, this film is not for everyone. People will either love it, or despise it with all their heart. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and would recommend it to anyone who has a taste for dark humor and a desire to put the pieces of the puzzle together over and over, long after the film has ended. 10/10